I wouldn't use it. You can, but definitely not as good as a sump and pretty expensive if you don't already own it. This topic was actually brought up recently and talked about pretty extensively. I will find the thread.
New Saltwater Tank
- Thread starter xjmike91
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I wouldn't use it. You can, but definitely not as good as a sump and pretty expensive if you don't already own it. This topic was actually brought up recently and talked about pretty extensively. I will find the thread.
well i just got home today and my friend got me a gift becouse i helped him out and for christmas. He bought me 2 fluval 306 canister filters for my 29 tank. I wasnt sure if i was gunna go for a cannister but im gunna run them now that i have two of them. What do you all think, it was a awsoe gift and nobody hear would say no to 2 free 306s lol. Should i give em a shot?
Theres a few things here I'd aviod but as Hoops said in that other post - "theres many ways to get the job done." For starters run a heater, salinity and PH will fluctuate without one esp. in smaller water volumes. Stability is the overall goal so weekly small volume water changes of 10% is better than large monthly changes. Add no more than 1 hermit/snail per gal. and stick with 1 species or wind up like me - having the overly aggressive red legs kill all other species of hermits even those larger, money lost. Turbo snails eat alot, get big, and are very clumsy probably not a good fit for 30 gal. If your thinkin' Clowns hosting an anemone they might agitate the crap out of it esp in a limited space. Which leads me to LR + sand, you don't have to go overkill. 1/3 rd the tank volume is fine. As for chemical filtration/additions - your test kit and livestock will tell you what you need or don't need. If adding inverts or fish that are capable of emitting toxins or poisons, I'd strongly recommend the use of carbon.
As for sump vs canister - it's a pain in the neck swaping out polishing pads and riningin' out the block filter every week from the sump. In your case it's tearin' down the canister cleaning it and all media then refilling with either tank or premixed/preheated water then reprime the system. At this piont the media is just polishing pads cause probably nothing beneficial's gonna survive weekly cleanings. Seems to me the canister would be an oversized mag drive with small volume plumbing and the pump facing in the wrong direction shortening it's lifespan that creates alot of unessessary work - in your case x2. If it's not cleaned out weekly it will do exactly what it's supposed to do - cycle thru ammonia and Nitrite, expell excess Nitrate.
Ever notice no one really ever compares saltwater test kits to freshwater. Most Freshy bacis don't contain Nitrate tests just Ammonia, Nitrite, KH/GH, and PH - maybe theres a reason salty basics contain Nitrate tests.
thank you that was very helpful and cleared up alot, any other points of view? I want to hear all opinions good and bad.
so ive decided im still gunna run a 10 gallon sump along wit the filters. Anyone have any simple and easy sump desighns and i just found out from my tank vender they dont have the 29 but they said they would sell me a 37 witch is the s!!!!!! lucky rite
